The Espoo Book Festival

Time

Sat 14.11.2026 EET/EEST10.00–17.00 EET/EEST

Location

Espoonlahdenkatu 8, 02320 Espoo

See location on the map(external link, opens in a new window)

Salonki, Kajuutta, Hytti, Paja, Merikontti, Keula

Price

Free entry

Organizer

The Espoo Authors’ Association and the Espoo City Theatre Advocacy Society with the partners Lippulaiva Library and the Espoonlahti cultural initiative.

Additional information

espoonkirjailijat.fi(external link, opens in a new window)

The theme for the Espoo Book Festival in 2026 is literacy. The cost-free

family event gathers friends of literature and theatre under the same roof. The wide-ranging programme includes a panel discussion, interviews with authors, a dream workshop for youngsters, children’s theatre, and a fairy tale corner for children. The day rounds off with the Book Festival’s own open mic poetry event.

The theme of the panel discussion is literacy, and the participants include the

Literacy Ambassador Aleksis Salusjärvi, Literary Professional Anna-Riikka Carlson, and Emmi Jäkkö, Manager of the Finnish Reading Center. Among the authors who are to be interviewed are Niko Hallikainen, Tarita Ikonen, J.S. Meresmaa, Sanna Pelliccioni, Niko Rantsi, Kirsi Siren and Randa al-Dawoudi. Theatre performances are offered by the Espoo Circus and Theatre School ESKO and the Hyökyvuori theatre group. An actor from the Hevosenkenkä theatre group will be reading stories to children.

In the heart of the Espoo Book Festival are the exhibitors. The event focusing on small publishers and self-published work highlights small as well as somewhat larger publishers, and a group of authors and their work.

A café will be open all day. This year the café is run by the Kauklahti scouts Kauka-Kuutit. Find gifts for the holiday season and enjoy the art of reading and the warmth of the culture!

Further information: espoon.kirjailijat@gmail.com and sinikka.mantysalo@gmail.com

The event’s website:

https://espoonkirjailijat.fi/espoon-kirjafestarit-2026/(external link, opens in a new window)

The Espoo Book Festival is organised in collaboration with The Espoo Authors’ Association and the Espoo City Theatre Advocacy Society with the partners Lippulaiva Library and the Espoonlahti cultural initiative.

The Espoo Book Festival has been granted funding by the Espoo Culture Committee.

The route to the main entrance

The 10 accessible parking spaces are located in a parking hall over 10 m from the entrance. The width of the parking spaces is at least 3.6 m.
The parking hall has a lift, which can hold a wheelchair; the door opens automatically. The floor numbers in the lift can be felt with fingers. The button for the exit floor stands out from the other buttons. (The minimum dimensions for an accessible lift are width 1.1 m and depth 1.4 m.)
The pick-up and drop-off area is located in the vicinity of the entrance, giving easy access to the pavement.
The route to the entrance is guided, smooth and sufficiently wide and illuminated and it uses movement-guiding surface material.

The main entrance

The entrance stands out clearly and is illuminated.
The doors connected to the entrance stand out clearly and the glass doors have contrast markings. Outside the door there is sufficient room for moving e.g. with a wheelchair. The door opens automatically with a motion sensor.

The entrance "Merikarhunkuja 5"

The route to the entrance is smooth and sufficiently wide and illuminated and it uses movement-guiding surface material.
There is a steep slope on the passage.
The entrance stands out clearly and is illuminated.
The doors connected to the entrance stand out clearly and the glass doors have contrast markings. Outside the door there is sufficient room for moving e.g. with a wheelchair. The door opens automatically with an opening button.
The entrance has thresholds over 2 cm high.
The customer service point is on the same floor as this entrance.
The staff opens the toilet.

In the facility